Comparisons
by luv2bamom
Summary: Sam overhears Danny comparing her and Paulina. She gets upset and runs, but what happens when she gets lost? Will Danny find her?


Disclaimer: _I do not own Danny Phantom._

_A/N: Just a quick one shot that sort of popped into my head, I changed it slightly but I'm still not sure what I think of it, please review and let me know what you think!_

_Comparisons_

OOOOOOO

Seventeen-year-old Sam Manson stood in front of her mirror and stared at the face looking back at her. Straight dark hair no longer restrained in a ponytail reached her shoulders, wide violet eyes with a hint of black eyeliner, and full lips were set in a small oval shaped face. Sighing she looked down at her outfit, it had changed slightly since her freshman year in high school. She still wore a black midriff tee with a purple symbol on it, but instead of a miniskirt, she usually wore black hip huggers and had replaced her combat boots with simple sandals. She had grown a few inches, standing at a reasonable five foot six inches, and acquired new curves that gained her attention from a good part of the male population at Casper High. Still, when she looked in the mirror all she could see was a plain girl who liked black and didn't care about trendy styles_. Well, this is as good as it's going to get_ she thought as she picked up her book bag and headed out of her room. Walking down the stairs, her mind automatically turned to her best friend Danny Fenton, also the boy she had been in love with for the past three years. She had been trying to talk herself into telling him about her feelings forever and during a long phone conversation with her other best friend Tucker Foley the night before she had finally decided that she could chance it. After all, Tucker swore that Danny liked her as more than a friend, but was too shy to admit it. Sam yelled goodbye to her parents and left, walking down the sidewalk toward the park where she was supposed to meet Danny and Tucker. It was a beautiful spring morning and it brightened her spirits a little. Maybe, just maybe it would be all right.

Danny and Tucker stood at the park waiting for Sam.

"So when are you going to tell her Danny?"

Danny gave him a strange look. "Tell who what Tuck?"

"You know, Sam."

"What am I supposed to be telling Sam?"

Tucker looked at Danny exasperatedly. "That you like her."

Danny blushed slightly before trying to cover it up with a laugh. "Of course I like her Tucker, she's my best friend."

Tucker gave him a disgusted look. "Man, are you deliberately being dense? Come on, you and I both know that you love her. Don't you think you've denied it long enough?"

Danny shook his head, opened his mouth to deny it again, and stopped when he saw the look on Tucker's face. His shoulders slumped a little and a defeated look crossed his face. "Tucker, she'll never think of me as anything but a friend."

Tucker clapped him on the shoulder sympathetically. "You're wrong Danny, but you'll never know that if you don't tell her."

"Hi Danny."

Both boys turned as the most popular girl in school stopped next to them, batting her eyes at Danny.

"Hey Paulina," he said, not really paying attention.

Fighting ghosts had certainly paid off for Danny, who was now lean and muscular. He also finally hit a growth spurt and now stood around six feet tall. Combining that with his boyish good looks and sweet demeanor made him one of the most sought after boys at school.

Paulina stepped closer, reached out, and wrapped her hands around his arm, pressing against him. "Danny, I wanted to know if you wanted to go to a movie with me tonight." She leaned closer to whisper in his ear. "We can sit way in the back where we can be alone."

Danny tried to disengage her hold on him politely, stepping back from her. "Uh Paulina thanks, but I'm really not…"

Paulina smiled up at him. "Think about it handsome," she said softly, leaning up and pressing her lips to his briefly before strutting away.

Tucker followed her swaying backside with appreciative eyes for a minute before turning back to Danny.

"Man, you just turned down the hottest girl in school, are you feeling all right?"

Danny just snorted and rolled his eyes. "Tucker, weren't you the one just saying that I need to tell Sam how I feel about her?"

"Well yeah, but it's not like you two are together yet or anything."

Danny gave him a dirty look. "Nice Tuck."

"What? I'm just saying that making out with Paulina in the back of a movie theater would be a fine way to end your single days dude."

This time Danny simply shook his head at him. "No wonder you don't have a girlfriend. Trust me Tucker there is no comparison between Paulina and Sam. Paulina's hot yeah, but too much of a bitch. Sam's gorgeous inside and out." Danny looked around and glanced at his watch.

"Where is she anyway?"

Tucker spotted Sam running away from the park. "Hey there she is, why is she running that way, didn't she see us?"

Danny whipped his head around, saw her running, and then noticed something on the ground not too far away. "That's Sam's bag." _Why would she drop it and run away when she knew we were waiting for her? Oh sh…_ Danny turned back to Tucker.

"Do you think she saw Paulina kiss me?"

His best friend looked at him with concern. "I don't know man."

"Tucker, I have to..."

Tucker nodded and waved him off. "Go on, find her."

Danny gave him a grateful look before looking around to make sure no one was there and changed into Danny Phantom, taking to the air in the direction he had seen her go.

Sam ran blindly, tears stinging her eyes as she fought to not let them fall. _Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. How could I even think he might like me when he could have perfect Paulina? _He had said it himself, there was no comparison Slowing down she turned a corner and sank down to sit against a wall, pulling her knees up and burying her face in them.

_(flashback)_

She had practically convinced herself that everything would work out, feeling disgustingly giddy as she walked to the park to meet the boys only to look up and see Paulina all over Danny. Stopping she had moved a little toward the trees so as to not be seen and had burned with jealousy as she watched Danny smile down at the little witch. And then they had KISSED! Shocked, Sam had unknowingly dropped her bag as pain filled her and she stepped forward to hear the two boys talking.

"…making out with Paulina in the back of a movie theater would be a fine way to end…"

The rest of what Tucker said was drowned out by a bunch of kids talking and laughing as they walked past, but she had heard Danny's reply.

"Trust me Tucker; there is no comparison between Paulina and Sam. Paulina's hot…"

Sam was sure she had stopped breathing as white-hot knives of pain swept through her heart and she had turned and ran without thinking, her only thought, to get as far away as possible.

_(end flashback)_

Sam took a couple of deep breaths and leaned her head back against the building. Opening her eyes, she realized she had somehow run into the rough section of town and she didn't recognize anything. _Oh great, now I'm lost_. Sighing she stood up and started walking looking for something familiar, but after ending up at the same place for the third time she decided she was going to have to call someone to come get her. Reaching for her cell phone it suddenly dawned on her that she wasn't carrying her bag anymore. She closed her eyes and shook her head. _Unbelievable, can things get any worse?_ Her self-pity was interrupted by a loud voice.

"Hey look boys, a pretty little thing standing here all alone; do you need some help sweetheart?"

Sam opened her eyes and wished she hadn't. _Apparently, it can get worse_. Coming down the street straight toward her was a group of four teenage boys that looked like trouble. Turning around she started walking quickly in the opposite direction, resisting the urge to look behind her. She heard one of them whistle at her and she sped up a little, getting nervous. Her heart pounding, she turned a corner only to come to a dead end. Panicked she turned around to run back out but it was too late, the four boys stood at the entrance to the alleyway, smirking at her. The tallest of the boys stepped forward.

"You weren't running from us now were you sweetheart, because that's not very polite now is it boys?" The other boys murmured in agreement and Sam took a deep breath, standing straight and trying to look unconcerned.

"Get out of my way."

Again, the tallest one, whom she assumed was the leader of the little group, stepped forward and Sam instinctively took one step back.

"Looks like you never learned any manners little girl, maybe we need to teach you a few."

She knew that she had to get out of the alley if she was to have any chance at escaping these kids and she feinted to the left, getting as close to the side of the building as she could. When the teens tried to grab her, she reared back, causing the boys to slam into each other against the wall. Sam immediately dove to the right, praying she could get past them, but as she made it to the very edge of the alleyway she felt a hand grab her ankle and she went down hard. Crying out at the impact, she twisted around and slammed her free foot into the face of the leader. He let go of her and grabbed his nose automatically as blood began pouring from it. Scrambling to her feet, she started running, only to be grabbed from behind by thick arms around her waist and lifted off her feet. As she was dragged back toward the alley, she started screeching loudly and swearing, trying to attract someone's attention, but there was no one around.

Danny had been searching for about forty five minutes and was about to turn around to try her house again when he heard a loud screeching. It was coming from a couple of blocks away in the rougher section of town and it sounded like Sam! Turning quickly, Danny flew toward the sound, fear spreading through him. He could hear her swearing and yelling and when he turned the corner, he saw that a big beefy teenager was dragging her. In the seconds before he made his presence known, he noticed that she was putting up a hell of a fight, finally managing to bring her heel up into the boys groin hard, and Danny couldn't help but grin with pride as the large boy toppled, dropping Sam in the process, who stomped on the boy's middle for good measure before turning to run. _That's my girl_ he thought, before realizing that the boy had not been alone but was accompanied by three others who quickly poured out of the nearby alley and converged on Sam.

Sam thought she might make it until the leader's hand reached out and grabbed the back of her shirt, jerking her to a sudden halt. Whipping her around, he slammed her up against the wall and pressed into her an inch away from her face, his nose swollen and blood still flowing freely.

"That was a big mistake sweetheart," he growled at her as he raised his hand to hit her.

"Hey! Let her go now!"

Sam looked up to see Danny streaking down from the sky to stand in front of them. He glared at the boys, letting a glow surround his clenched fists.

"Let her go."

The boy turned and laughed at Danny. "I ain't afraid of any spook, and your outnumbered buddy so why don't you take a hike."

Danny's eyes narrowed and flared an eerie green as he stepped forward.

"I don't think so, now I'll tell you once more let her go."

The leader glanced at the other boys and jerked his head toward Danny and they started circling around him. One of them charged and Danny simply stepped to the side, sticking his foot out and tripping the kid as he went by, causing him to tumble to the ground. The other teen aimed a well placed kick to Danny's stomach as he was distracted and Danny fell back against the wall. Bounding back to his feet, Danny punched the kid, before picking him up by the shirt and tossing him a good few feet away where he landed hard, unconscious. Sam heard the tall boy holding her against the wall laugh under his breath and looked around to see that the first kid who had charged at Danny and the one who she had left lying on the sidewalk were now slowly closing in on Danny from behind.

"Danny behind you!" Sam managed before the leader whipped his head back to hers and clamped a hand over her mouth.

Danny spun around, instinctively taking to the air and firing off two low power energy rays, each hitting their target and throwing the boys to the ground, where they laid stunned for a moment before getting to their feet. As he powered up another ray, they paled and turned heel, running. Danny stopped instantly as he heard a shout and looked over to where the tall boy was standing with his back to the wall and Sam held in front of him, with a wicked looking blade held up against her throat. Danny let his hands drop and landed on the ground, rage and fear pulsing through him.

"That's better, now if you don't want to see this pretty little thing hurt, you'll leave now."

Danny held his hands up in a placating manner as he took a couple of steps back. "Easy, all right I admit you have the advantage here."

Sam frowned as he said this. _What is he talking about?_

The teen laughed as he saw the ghost boy backing down. "That's right I do." Smiling perversely, he moved up the arm holding Sam back against him and placed his hand upon her left breast. Sam squealed in indignation and struggled a little, freezing as she felt the knife cut into the skin at her throat and blood trickle down her neck.

Danny growled, and just barely stopped himself from stepping forward again, knowing that he had to keep his cool. He stared at Sam intently, his hands still up. Sam looked at his eyes, which did not leave hers. He seemed to be trying to tell her something, looking for some indication that she understood that he needed her to trust him. She didn't know what he was planning but she trusted him completely and she gave him a small smile. When Danny saw the almost imperceptible smile that she gave him, he knew that she understood and proceeded with his plan.

"Hey, if all you want is a little fun, then I'll back off. I just don't want to see anyone get killed here." Lowering his hands, he backed up even farther, noticing that the boy seemed to relax a little, lowering the knife slightly. Praying with all his might that his training would pay off, Danny closed his eyes and concentrated.

Sam watched as Danny closed his eyes, knew what he was going to do, and braced herself slightly. As Danny suddenly disappeared, the boy, startled, dropped the hand holding the knife.

"Hey! Where'd he go?"

Before he could say anything else, Danny had transported behind him and he felt a crushing pain in the wrist holding the blade and was forced to drop it as a strong arm wrapped around his neck, immobilizing him.

Sam ripped his arm from around her and stumbled away, turning to see shock and panic on the kid's face as Danny turned and smashed him face first against the wall before pulling him back and releasing him and leaning in close, eyes blazing.

"Run."

That was all it took for the kid to turn and flee,

Danny turned and stepped over to where Sam was sitting on the ground and crouched down in front of her.

"Sam, are you all right?" She nodded, not looking at him and he placed his hand under her chin, lifting her head. Her eyes met his for an instant before his gaze wandered down her face and body, checking for injury. His eyes hardened as he took in the blood still slowly seeping from the wound on her neck and he gently touched her throat, pulling away with his white glove stained with blood.

"Sam I…"

"Can you just take me home please?"

He stood up, helping her to her feet and gently swung her up into his arms as he flew upward. "I'll take you home, but we need to talk when we get there."

The rest of the journey was silent and soon they reached Sam's house and Danny phased into her bedroom and set her down carefully on the bed. Changing back to his human half he walked into her bathroom and returned a minute later with a first aid kit. Sam sat quietly while he cleaned the cut on her neck, covered it. Closing the first aid kit, he put it to the side and sighed heavily.

"Sam, why did you run away when you were at the park?"

Sam looked down at the bed. "Danny, I really don't want to talk about it."

"Was it because you saw me with Paulina?"

She bit her lip and avoided his gaze and he brought his hand up to cup her cheek so she would look at him.

"Sam?"

A single tear slid down her cheek as she closed her eyes. "Tucker finally convinced me to tell you how I really feel about you…and then I saw you with Paulina and she's beautiful and perfect and you said I couldn't compare…"

Sam took a deep breath and forced a smile. "I…was just being stupid, I mean you're my best friend and I want you to be happy, even if it's with her and…" She was cut off by Danny pressing his finger to her lips.

"Sam, I'm not with Paulina and I don't want to be with her." Sam frowned and he spoke up again.

"Listen to me, I'm not sure what you saw or heard. She asked me out. I said no. She kissed me but I wasn't kissing her, and I did say there was no comparison between you two, because she's just a pretty face that's all. You, you're beautiful. Beautiful on the outside, and you have a beautiful soul inside. There is no comparison. She's nothing next to you."

She stared at him, hope daring to well up inside her.

"I love you Sam, I was just afraid to admit it before; afraid it would ruin our friendship if you didn't feel the same way." Danny watched her uncertainly, waiting for a reaction to his declaration. His heart jumped as she smiled up at him.

"I love you too," she said softly, and he grinned, pulling her forward into an embrace, holding her as he buried his face in her hair.

"Thank god," he muttered as he pulled back and leaned down to cover her mouth with his.


End file.
